Canada Hosts The Mexican President And Ignores Mexico's Assault On Worker Rights

Not one word could I find on Mexico’s continuing assault on worker rights.  This in spite of a statement on May 21 by CLC President Ken Georgetti urging Stephen Harper to “raise the issue of the continuing violation of fundamental labour rights and the repression of democratic labour unions in Mexico.”  

Georgetti’s letter cited violations of ILO conventions including the repression against Mexico’s independent National Mineworkers’ Union, Los Mineros, and the union busting and mass firing of 40,000 members of the SME, the Mexico City electrical workers.  

 

Georgetti’s appeal follows a similar one by the AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka during Calderon’s US visit.  Trumka blasted Calderon for the decision in April to give mining company Grupo Mexico a green light to mass fire hundreds of workers at the Cananea copper mine in Northern Mexico.  The government then surrounded the mine with armed soldiers and police.  According to Mexican labor experts, this decision effectively eliminates the right to strike in Mexico.

 

There were more incidents in real time with Calderon’s presence in Canada.